1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nib holder for a writing implement with a fine nib, and more particularly to improvements in a nib holder which is particularly useful for a drafting or drawing pen with a very fine nib.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Writing utensils with fine nibs (e.g., nibs having a diameter smaller than 1 mm, or fine pens) are well known in the art but they all have the following problems or drawbacks.
Firstly, irrespective of the nib attaching construction, the nib becomes worn out by abrasion before consuming the entire amount of ink which is provided within a casing cylinder (in most cases the ink is impregnated into an absorbent reservoir which is accommodated within the casing cylinder). Therefore, the worn-out nibs have to be thrown away which is wasteful. This is a great disadvantage in view of the recent trend to save natural resources and energy. Experiments on known pens have revealed that a pen with a fine nib of 0.8 mm in diameter is worn out by 1000 m of writing, barely consuming 35% of the reserved ink thereby leaving a major portion of the ink in the reservoir.
Secondly, in the known writing implements having a nib secured in a narrow tube which is fixed in a holder, there invariably arises a problem with regard to the means for securing the nib to the narrow tube. For example, it is known to caulk a part of the narrow tube to secure the nib therein. In such a case, however, the nib is often deformed in a certain part thereof to thereby narrow or block the internal ink passage of the tube, impeding the smooth flow of the ink therethrough. In addition to the just mentioned construction, there has also been proposed and known a nib holding construction wherein a thin tube which receives a nib is circumferentially contracted into a smaller diameter to bite on the circumference of the nib to secure the latter in position. This nib holding construction also suffers from the problem that the ink passage is narrowed or blocked by deformation of the nib and smooth flow of the ink is thereby impeded, resulting in ink breaks during rapid or continuous writing. In addition, the tube contracting operation requires meticulous skill since the circumferential wall of the nib is apt to be damaged upon contacting the thin tube.